Epilogue

When you go on a tour, the initial instinct is to see as much as you can. By doing so, we usually miss the friendly atmosphere of a particular place, we miss one particular kind of food which makes the place famous, but most of all we miss the relaxation factor of the tour. Trying to relax is the true purpose of a vacation but we rather spend the time chasing after the pleasure of shopping.

When you tour Europe, you will always run into old cathedrals, sculptures, paintings and architecture. It is very true when you see one cathedral, you have seen them all. It will be a lot easier if we can choose 1 single place and spend the time exploring that particular place. You will never be disappointed if you can take the first step to learn and understand the local people. Smile. Introduce yourself. Offer a sincere handshake. Learn what most Europeans do when they greet each other – a gentle hug and a kiss on both cheeks. Never mind the clumsiness of the language. People all have enough intelligence to understand sign language. Do not be inhibited with too many principles. It is time for vacation. It is time to enjoy life with some humour. Open your heart. Ask questions. Offer your feelings. Continue reading →

Episode 16 – Madrid – Opera House

More tapas.

We had enough seafood and we wanted some solid meat. The restaurant was comfortable, not posh but the food and beer were excellent.

I missed our good old-fashion Canadian food of meat and potatoes. I wanted a steak, but we did not know how to describe it when we ordered the food. We definitely would not like to have more squids with ink. This is the restaurant in Madrid that was famous for its cheap eat and we ended up with this. Continue reading →

Episode 15 – Madrid

This park with statues is close to the don quixote monument.

I never imagine Madrid can be so hot. It was high temperature above 40. Walking around under such heat without the help of wine is impossible. I had been consuming more wine than usual. Wine is cheap in Spain. You can find common table wine in super-markets for 1.5 Euro a bottle. If you want Perrier carbonated water, it will be 3 to 4 Euros. What would you pick? Continue reading →

Episode 14 – Toledo – a hilly stop

Overlooking the old tower and bridge from a hillside

Toledo was once the capital of Spain. It also had a very strong Moorish influence. The day we arrived, we took a bus ride up to a hillside where we could see the winding river and the different pockets of communities. It was a grand view.

Inside of the cathedral

We had a young tourist guide who was energetic to organize a 21/2 hour walking tour for us. It was hot. The temperature was in the 40s. Everybody was trying their best to keep up. The sun was furious. We were walking the narrow, steaming streets of Toledo. There were the usual twists and turns and we finally took a break at the Cathedral. It was a mixed building of Romanesque and Arabic style. Continue reading →

Episode 13 – Salamanca – the astronaut and the frog

plaza mayor

Salamanca is a small enough town for one to go on foot. Come to think of this, it may be the reason why you do not see too many obese Europeans. They have to travel on foot all the time. The streets are too narrow to allow motor vehicles to go through with ease. The problem with parking is horrendous. The pebble stone streets do hell to the suspension of the cars. Really nothing good comes out of this arrangement. Walking is healthy and it slows down the hectic pace of the daily rhythm. Continue reading →

Episode 12 – Avila and Segovia

Avila and its intact walls

The major cities have their own grandeur and they are stunning and impressive. The surrounding smaller town are not lack of charm and grace. It is a lot easier to settle in a small town and enjoy it to its fullest. Avila is one of these little towns. Continue reading →